Eve of Battle
by Akuhei
Summary: It is the night before the battle at Gaugamela. With such an uncertain future, Alexander and Hephaestion worry about many things, but find comfort and solace in each other, strengthening their love, friendship and loyalty. Alexander/Hephaestion oneshot.


**_A/N: _**This is my first Alexander fanfic, as well as the first fanfic I've ever published. I'd already posted this story some weeks ago, but took it down for some editing. I certainly hope you enjoy it. Reviews will be greatly appreciated.

**_Pairing: _**Alexander/Hephaestion.

**_Warning: _**This is a story about the romantic love between two men. If you are against it, I strongly advice against reading any further.

Enjoy!

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_Eve of Battle_

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It didn't matter how many times he'd lived through them, or how much experience he'd acquired with time. The nights before battles were always the most stressful times for him, not because he was a few hours away from being engrossed in a vicious, bloody war with an intimidating enemy, but because of the fear of losing the one person he cared about the most. In no way did that mean he didn't have faith in him, or the gods. In their name and by their will they had acquired countless riches. Athena had blessed them with many victories.

But they were mortal, and accessible to Hades. And Hades didn't discriminate.

The thought of living without Alexander was unbearable. It was in moments like these that Hephaestion realized just how much he truly cared for and admired his precious king. There were times when he thought he didn't fight for the glory of Greece, or even for his own life, but for Alexander, and Alexander alone. His devotion for his lifelong friend was unquestionable. As always during those times, he vowed upon every deity to protect him from the swords and spears of their enemies.

But what if he failed? What if, by some mysterious twist by the gods, Thanatos would come to claim his life?

The odds were certainly against them. Everything they had known and worked for hung by a narrow thread, and Alexander's guts. He had raised the stakes too high. His trust in the king didn't waver for a second, but Hephaestion knew this battle would either grant them the most glorious victory ever achieved, or would put a tragic end to a Greek dream. Victory and shame were so equally close at hand, he could no longer tell where one ended and the other began.

"_On the eve of battle, it's hardest to be alone…"_

Hephaestion was growing restless. The words his king had spoken to him looped inside his head like a bad dream, inhibiting a much needed rest. His head thrashed against the furry cushions in search for comfort to no avail. He could hear the voices of the men that were too stressed to rest their bodies for the war that was to come. And truly, who could sleep during a night that gathered the crows and vultures for the dawn's feast?

The brilliant moonlight poured in through the small slit that provided a narrow view to the outside. The pools of deep cerulean looked through that narrow passage, at the large tent across from his, where Alexander was. He began to wonder what the brave, young king could be up to. Was he sleeping? Or was he, like him, troubled by the uncertainty of tomorrow? One thing he knew in his heart was that he longed for Alexander's company. Ever since he'd become king, Hephaestion barely spent time alone with Alexander like they used to, back when they were younger and trouble free. Alexander was always busy tending to his duties, and it was in moments like these that Hephaestion felt like a part of his was amiss, and wished they could make up for those lost times. But maybe it wasn't too late for that.

The Persian night was punishingly cold. But thankfully, Alexander's tent was mere steps away, so he didn't bother with protective attire. Adjusting his chest plate and throwing a blanket around himself to shield his bones from the cold, Hephaestion stepped out of his tent and headed towards Alexander's. The loud, meaningless babbling of the men decreased noticeably as they spotted him standing before the soldiers that guarded Alexander's tent, perhaps out of worry or curiosity, but that didn't matter to him. He was aware that the army knew he had the privilege of visiting Alexander whenever he felt like it without his consent. Knowing better than to stop his Majesty's closest friend, Hephaestion stepped into Alexander's lair without a problem.

A smile curved the soft, rosette lips of the handsome male as he saw the figure of Alexander resting on its side with his back to him. The light of the moon outlined the sculpted muscles of the king's shoulders and neck, as well as the waves of blond hair, the only parts the covers didn't conceal. Even in the eve of war, Alexander seemed so at ease, so calm, so steady. He truly had an unbreakable resolve, and that was one of the things that made Hephaestion trust his ruler so blindingly.

The mere sight of the dormant man put his heart at ease. He was thankful Alexander could find rest amidst the turmoil that awaited them. It was exactly how Hephaestion wanted to see him; in peace.

"You truly are like no other, Alexander," he whispered to his sleeping friend as he kneeled by his bed. "May the gods favor you tomorrow, and grant you the wishes of your heart."

After observing Alexander for some minutes, Hephaestion stood up and proceeded to leave, when suddenly…

"Can't sleep?"

The sound of his voice alone made him smile. Stopping his departure, Hephaestion turned around and looked at the king's still turned back. He didn't know if Alexander had been awake or knew he was there, but it was obvious he knew now. As to whether or not he'd heard Hephaestion's words, well…

"No," Hephaestion answered as he walked back to Alexander's bed.

"I had a feeling you'd come."

Even when he couldn't see his face, Hephaestion could tell Alexander was smiling. The king finally turned around so that he could face his most trusted friend, his entire body freezing in place when he was greeted by that strikingly beautiful complexion. It didn't matter how many times he'd seen it, one look into that visage was enough for his heart to fall out of rhythm, constricting his chest with admiration.

He tried to hide the effects of Hephaestion's stunning beauty, but Alexander had the most expressive eyes ever given by the gods. He did not need to speak in order to relay emotion. Such eyes were too alluring to resist, and they made Hephaestion fall deeper in love every time he gazed into them.

He took a seat on the bed, next to Alexander, who sat up. A smile lifted a single side of his mouth just before he parted his lips to speak.

"Are you nervous?"

"Nervous? No," the king responded with a laugh, as though the answer to that question was obvious. However, Alexander detached his eyes from the other to stare ahead, at nothing in particular. It seemed like the interrogative did trigger a deep train of thought, and a pensive expression veiled his features. After several seconds, he finally opened his mouth.

"It's not tomorrow's battle what unsettles me, Hephaestion. It's the men that fight alongside me in battle."

Hephaestion's brows furrowed to Alexander's unexpected answer, an honest look of dubiety expressing his confusion.

"What do you mean?"

A string of silence stretched on for what seemed forever, but Hephaestion did not ask again, nor did he interrupt his friend. He knew Alexander was trying to process his thoughts and emotions, and he waited patiently for the king to speak again.

"Parmenion and the others question my tactics too much. Even with all the victories we've attained and the armies we've destroyed, including Darius', I still haven't been able to earn their trust. They mention and compare me to my father as though I'm supposed to follow his example and rule by his standards. I can see the doubt and fear, the discomfort in their faces and… it makes me wonder, Hephaestion. How far will these men stretch their loyalty before they break? Will I die by their hands, the very hands that lead my army and that I trust with my life? Will I suffer the same fate as my father, who was murdered by a man that commanded his own personal guard?"

Hephaestion listened to Alexander with utmost attention, the smile he once had on his face depleting completely. After the king ceased speaking, Hephaestion looked down and heaved a heavy sigh. Shaking his head, he finally looked back up to Alexander and saw the worry riddling that chiseled face, and it tore his heart to pieces. He could understand why Alexander felt the way he did, and shared the same concern. But in moments like these, perhaps the best thing to do was not to agree, but to reason.

"I don't think any of them would dare to do something like that, Alexander. You are their king, and I'm sure they look up to you as one. I believe they act the way they do because you've strayed from Philip's ways. They haven't been able to understand that you are not like your father. But they know you're strong, and braver than any man they've ever known. You represent the glory that Greece has always strived to have, and you have brought us closer to it than ever before. You are willful and courageous; you are a visionary, and you are different. Your perspectives confuse them and that makes it difficult for them to think as you think."

Alexander looked up at Hephaestion's eyes, knowing every word that poured out of him came from the heart. It even made Alexander's lips break into a small smile, although it didn't do a good job of hiding the worry that still plagued his demeanor.

"After we win tomorrow, we will be the richest, most powerful men in the world. We will have the biggest empire ever known to man. Macedonia will rule all…

…It's dangerous."

Alexander shook his head and looked down, pursing his lips together for a moment before continuing.

"Wealth and power corrupt, Hephaestion. It blinds the judgment and destroys men. For this we fight and die, and for this we live and breathe."

He lifted his eyes to look at Hephaestion, who had fallen silent, attentive.

"And yet I care nothing for gold and jewels; these withering riches that men so lust for. They don't mean anything to me. It is what I can do to make my name last through the ages what urges me on. To go beyond the lands these heroes of legend traveled to; to do things beyond their glory. Beyond the glory of Achilles! To have it all!

By Zeus… I want the _world_, Hephaestion!

After I kill Darius and conquer Persia, I intend to continue expanding the empire. We'll forge the biggest army that's ever existed. We will extend our kingdom further east, well beyond the known world. I won't rest until I reach the very end of it, and claim it all as my own. Every civilization will be united under one king, one nation, one big, Macedonian nation, under Alexander. Such glory will be unbeatable, Hephaestion."

Life seemed to return to Alexander's eyes as he spoke of his plans with reassuring enthusiasm and almost childlike anticipation. Those brown orbs reflected the unbreakable dream that dominated the mind of the young ruler, and the joy it brought him.

But Hephaestion didn't know how to feel about Alexander's goals. He seemed so enamored with the idea of having it all that it almost felt like that was the only thing that truly mattered to him. He understood Alexander had priorities and longings for power, as any king, but would those ambitions end up pushing him away? Would Hephaestion become but another general in Alexander the Great's unstoppable army? Truly, one thing was certain, and it was the only thing that could be said, for better or worse.

"This world is too small for a king like you."

Those words shocked Alexander. His eyes narrowed and looked at Hephaestion's as though searching for answers, or logic behind that statement. But Alexander was intelligent enough to know exactly what Hephaestion meant. He knew his earnest desire for domination was larger than life, but he was going to make it a reality, no matter what the cost. Giving his long-haired companion a smile, Alexander brought his hand up and pressed it gently to Hephaistion's face.

"None of this will be possible without you supporting me, Hephaestion. When I am king of all, you'll be by my side, and we will rule over this world together."

Hephaestion smiled lopsidedly and looked down, ensuring his king's premonition with a nod. Frankly, the jealousy that always consumed him whenever Alexander spoke of his passion filled his heart with misery, but he hid it as best as he could, for he knew this was not the time or the place to expose such selfish, possessive emotions. Eventually, he lifted his gaze and looked at Alexander endearingly, keeping that smile at his lips.

"Yes, Alexander, but..." he began as he coiled his fingers around the warrior king's wrist to return the initial affection. "…first you must defeat Darius and claim his empire. Concentrate on that, and then worry about the rest."

Alexander smiled and nodded while tracing his thumb along Hephaestion's cheek. That gorgeous face never ceased to amaze the young ruler. Releasing a soft, almost muted chuckle, Alexander canted his head to the side and sat closer to the younger male.

His eyes studied the hypnotizing indigo oculars, that narrow, pointy nose, those high cheekbones, those soft, rosy lips. By Eros, they were so damn tempting. It made Alexander's stomach swirl with desire and amazement. Certainly, there wasn't a man in Macedonia as beautiful and perfect as Hephaestion.

"You're right," the king finally whispered. His fingers weaved into the auburn locks that framed Hephaistion's face, cradling his neck delicately as though the younger would shatter like glass in his hands.

"On these eves of battle, I spend the hours thinking of you. I pray to all the gods that they watch over you and give you the strength of a thousand Titans. I pray that we both live to celebrate our victories together, and that you'll always stay by my side."

The shine in Alexander's eyes rivaled the moonlight as he spoke every word with the purest of sincerities, feeling Hepahestion's face lean into his hand to encourage a deeper touch.

"I don't know what I would do without you, Hephaestion. You are the source of my strength, the foundation of my valor. You give me courage and, by Aphrodite, your love is what keeps me alive.

You are my life, Hepahestion. Without you, I will die."

With every syllable, the sadness that had tormented Hephaestion withered like dust. He seemed entranced by Alexander's words, his own ability to speak leaving him entirely as he could only stare back at his infatuation's visage, which reflected nothing but profound love. An overwhelming relief inundated the faithful general, and he couldn't help but to smile shyly, but broadly as his worries dissipated.

"Our lives might not be the same again after tomorrow. I don't know what the gods have in store for me, or what my destiny is, but this I swear to you, by Zeus and Dionysus, by Apollo and all the gods: no matter what happens, Hephaestion, no matter how this new life that awaits us changes me, my heart will always, _always _belong to you. I will love you forever."

Hephaestion's breath lodged in his throat. His eyes welled up with tears he couldn't contain, and in one swift move, he threw his arms around Alexander and pulled him into a tight embrace. Nestling his face deep into the crook of Alexander's neck, he reveled in the proximity of the only man he'd ever cared for and loved with everything he was.

"And I will always love you… _my_ Alexander."

Words alone could not describe how Hephaestion felt. It was relieving to know that he wasn't alone, that Alexander shared the same feelings that had initially driven him to seek his company for the night. It wasn't just because he didn't want Alexander to spend the night alone, as he'd originally thought. It was because he needed that reassurance; he needed to hear those words. They brought serenity to his heart and appeased his distraught mind. His chest tightened with emotion and he couldn't help but to shed those tears of joy that trickled down his chin and onto Alexander's bare chest.

"Always…"

Alexander smiled and slowly moved his face back until it was inches away from Hephaestion's. Closing his eyes, he angled his head the precise amount to cover the lips that were eagerly waiting for him with his own. Crushing flesh against flesh, they sealed the incorruptible love they had vowed to always have for one another with that deep act of affection. They knew absolutely nothing could come between them, and they would overcome every obstacle thrown their way, even if it meant going against the world that was going to be Alexander's at dawn.

Unlatching their lips with broken, nervous breaths, they inched their faces away and opened their eyes to gaze at each other. Hepahestion could see the tears that bordered Alexander's eyes; his own cheeks already stained with his.

It was obvious nothing more needed to be said between the two lovers; everything that needed to be said, had been said. They knew this was but the calm before the storm, but there was no need to think about that. The only thing that mattered was the company of one another. In that instant, both Alexander and Hephaestion had found true happiness, the happiness that liberates all men from their fears, and makes them complete. They had found in each other everything their hearts desired.

Hephaestion no longer doubted, and Alexander had the world.

The End


End file.
